CNN’s Smerconish: ‘If You Act Like a HansA**holeSolo,’ You Should Be Outed

JEFF POOR6 Jul 2017

Wednesday on his SiriusXM radio show, Michael Smerconish, also a weekend host for CNN, responded to a caller’s question asking for his view on the privacy of an anonymous Reddit poster, who claimed credit for creating a GIF file tweeted by President Donald Trump last weekend.

That file showed a confrontation between Trump and WWE CEO Vince McMahon at a wrestling event in 2007 with the CNN logo superimposed over McMahon’s face. CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski had reportedly tracked the Reddit poster but declined to make public the user identity.

Smerconish told the caller he wished the user’s identity was known given some posts he allegedly made were bigoted, racist and anti-Semitic.

“I’m kind of wishing that they had already identified him … because I thought that the image of — I’m no authority on HanAssholeSolo — but the image that he tweeted of all the CNN personalities with Stars of David I thought was offensive and when they figured out who he was, I would have been comfortable — you’re asking me a direct question, so I’m giving a direct answer — I would have been comfortable with them saying here’s who this knucklehead is. You know, this is the guy who has posted these bigoted, racist, anti-Semitic posts. And by the way, you know who says they were racist, bigoted and anti-Semitic? The guy who wrote them.”

The caller responded to Smerconish’s remarks by questioning if it was the role of a “major company” to release personal information. Smerconish reiterated he wished they had identified him and blamed anonymity for enabling people to make such remarks.

“If he continues to be a racist, if he continues to be a bigot, if he continues to be anti-Semitic, they’re going to out him,” he said. “Yeah, I like that. He should be outed. You know, anonymity gives people beer muscles for bad behavior … I’m sick and tired of those who foment hate and bigotry and hide. I’d like to see all their faces.”

“If you act like a HansAssholeSolo, then I would like to know who you are,” he added.